Fix Bay'nets Part 57

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT.

IN THE SNOW.

In the tramp which followed, with the hill-men creeping on after them in the same slow, untiring way, Gedge had his eyes about him, and drew forth a sharp order from his officer when he began to deviate a little from the straight course towards a dwarf clump of pines, the highest of which was not above six feet.

"What are you going there for?"

"Want 'em, sir, for rifles," was the reply. Bracy nodded; and upon reaching the clump, a few sharp strokes from the lad's bayonet cut down and trimmed what formed a couple of longish walking-sticks, one of which he handed over to his officer, who used his in the latter capacity, Gedge soon following suit.

"That's what I want them to think, sir," said Gedge, digging his down at every second pace. "Now, sir, what do you say? Don't you think we might edge in more towards the snow?"

"Soon," said Bracy, pointing. "There's just the spot we want;" and, raising his gla.s.s, he stopped to examine a group of blocks of stone some fifty yards from the edge of the snowfield, which here sent down a few sharp points, giving it the appearance at a distance of a huge, vand.y.k.ed piece of white lace.

"Couldn't find a better place if we tried, sir," said Gedge; "but we ain't left ourselves time enough. If we had thought of it sooner, I could have cut out and made the busbies."

"We shall have plenty of time for that to-morrow," said Bracy. "We must manage by tying on handkerchiefs for to-night, and pulling up the great collars as if they were hoods."

A short time after, each with his handkerchief over his head, the pair crouched behind two stones, upon which their helmets had been placed; and beside them the two sticks were planted, so that at a short distance any one would have been deceived and made to believe that a couple of men were on the watch for danger.

Two men were on the watch for danger, but in a different way, both lying p.r.o.ne, Bracy, with his gla.s.s to his eyes, carefully sweeping the distance, and keeping it fixed upon the enemy, who looked strangely quiet, as they grouped together and seemed to be feasting.

"Looks as if they meant to settle there, then, for the night, sir," said Gedge, as Bracy reported to him everything he noted.

"Yes; it looks so."

"But we don't trust 'em, bless yer, sir. That's their artfulness; foxing--that's what they're doing. Won't be able to see 'em much longer--will you, sir?"

"No; it's getting dark very fast; but I can make them out, I dare say, till they begin to move."

"Hope you will, sir," said Gedge softly, and lying with his knees bent, kicking his feet about in the air, after the fas.h.i.+on of a boy in a field on a sunny day, and looking quite unconscious of the fact that this night might be one of the most terrible they had ever been called upon to pa.s.s.

Some minutes elapsed now in perfect silence, during which a fiery look on the topmost peak of one of the mountains died out slowly into cherry red, and finally became invisible, a few stars twinkling out as the red light died.

"Gedge," said Bracy in a quick whisper, such as he might have uttered had the enemy been close upon them, and about to spring, instead of many hundred yards away.

"Sir?"

"They are on the move."

"Can't see 'em, sir."

"No; and they cannot see us, but I can dimly make them out with the gla.s.s. They are separating from their centre, and coming on. Ha! gone.

I can see no more."

He put away the gla.s.s in the darkness, which now seemed to roll down upon them like a cloud from the mountains, giving the snowfield a ghastly look which made Bracy hesitate.

"I'm afraid it would be better to go off to the left among the stones."

"Don't, sir, pray," said Gedge earnestly.

"But our dark bodies will show against the snow."

"Not they, sir. We'll roll in it, and it'll be darker in half-an-hour.

They'll be all that before they get here--won't they?"

"Quite. They are sure to come on very slowly, and allow time for part of them to get right into our rear."

"Yes, sir; that's right."

"Now, then, are you ready?"

"Yes, sir."

There was again silence, and, but for the ghostly glare of the snow, all was very dark.

"We seem to be going into the most dangerous place," whispered Bracy, with his breath coming thickly.

"And that's the very place they'll never think we should hide in, sir, if they were likely to think we were going to hide. No, sir: their keen eyes 'll just make out them two 'elmets, and they'll think o' nothing else but driving their long knives into them as wears 'em, from behind.

I do hope we shall hear 'em blunting the points against, the stones."

"Have you everything?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then, forward! Go fifty paces slowly over the snow. I shall follow close behind you in your steps."

The snow yielded, so that they were knee-deep, but it was still loose and so sand-like in its grains that as each foot was withdrawn the icy particles flowed together again into each freshly-made hole.

Five minutes later the adventurous pair lay softly down, and rolled over and over a few times, before lying p.r.o.ne upon their chests, each with his head towards the invisible helmets, and near enough to whisper or touch one another with the hand. Their rifles lay by their sides, with the cartouche-boxes handy: and, in case of a close attack, their revolvers were in the right sides of their belts, half dragged round to the back, while each held his dagger-like bayonet in his band.

"Do you feel the cold, Gedge?" whispered Bracy.

"Cold, sir? Why, I'm as hot as hot. This work's too warm for a fellow to feel the cold. Do you, sir?"

"No; my face burns as if with fever, and every nerve tingles with excitement. There, we must not even whisper again."

"Right, sir."

"The first moment you hear a sound of any one approaching, touch my left arm."

"Right, sir; but hadn't I better lie t'other side of you? They'll come that way."

"They'll come from all round at once, my lad. There, don't be afraid.

If we are going to have trouble, I dare say you will get your full share. Now, silence; and when they come you must hardly breathe."

Then silence ensued, and seemed to Bracy the most oppressive that he had ever encountered in facing danger. For the solemnity of the night in the great mountains was brooding over them, out of which at any moment death, in the shape of a keen knife, might descend. There was not a breath of air, but an icy chill dropped down from above, making the snow crystals turn sharp and crisp, crackling softly at the slightest movement. But the frosty air had no effect upon them, save to make their blood tingle in their veins and a peculiar, p.r.i.c.king sensation play about their nostrils as they drew their breath, tiny needles of ice twining as they respired, and making a h.o.a.r-frost upon Bracy's moustache.

The time went on as if the movement of the earth had been checked by the frost; but, listen as they would, the silence was profound, and a full hour seemed to have pa.s.sed, though it was not a fourth part of that time.